Jimmer Fredette, the 10th overall pick in the 2011 draft, launched 8.5 three-pointers per game as a college senior at BYU in 2010/11 and made 39.6% of them. However, while he hit 37.2% of his threes at the NBA level, he never emerged as a consistent rotation player and was out of the league by 2016, with the exception of a brief cameo during the 2018/19 season.
Speaking to Sam Yip of HoopsHype, Fredette observed that his game is more suited to the NBA now than it was when he went pro in 2011. The veteran sharpshooter, who eventually emerged as a star in China for the Shanghai Sharks, admits that he sometimes thinks about what his career would’ve looked like if he were coming out of college now.
“Of course you think about it, right? Like, I mean there’s no way that you don’t think about it,” Fredette said. “Obviously, it does fit my game better now than it did before. It’s more positionless basketball. When I came out it was like, ‘Is he a one or is he a two? What’s the deal? Who’s he gonna guard?’ Now it’s like, ‘If you can play, you can play and if you can shoot, you’re an asset.’
“… So I was definitely probably a little bit ahead of my time as far as that’s concerned. But it is what it is and right now I’m in a good spot and using my talents and been able to do it all over the place.”
As Yip notes, Fredette – who is now 34 years old – is currently focused on 3-on-3 basketball and hopes to win a gold medal with Team USA at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The Trail Blazers have put out a statement mourning the passing of former NBA wing Terry Dischinger, a three-time All-Star and Rookie of the Year who played in the league from 1962-73 in Chicago, Baltimore, Detroit, and Portland. The former Purdue star was 82 years old.
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has published a new 2024 mock draft, moving French big man Alexandre Sarr up to No. 2 and referring to him as “the hottest name early in the 2024 draft cycle,” based on his performances against the G League Ignite last month. While ESPN’s most recent mock draft had USC’s Isaiah Collier at No. 2 and Duke’s Tyrese Proctor at No. 14, Wasserman has Collier and Proctor at No. 6 and No. 5, respectively.
- Which new and old NBA on-court rules will be points of emphasis for referees this season? Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune takes a closer look, noting that the league has introduced new in-game penalties for flopping and wants its officials to actually call defensive three-second violations in fourth quarters and clutch situations.
- Rob Mahoney of The Ringer identifies five teams that he believes will define the 2023/24 NBA season, starting with the defending champion Nuggets. Mahoney also discusses the Bucks, Heat, Thunder, and Grizzlies.
- HoopsHype has shared an excerpt from Alex Squadron’s book ‘Life in the G,’ which follows players in the G League as they push for a promotion to the NBA.
It’s not easy to be just a spot up shooter in the NBA. It is an artform and why so few relatively unathletic guys thrive. For every JJ and Korver there are 100 Jimmers and Stauskas who just can’t get the seperation or shoot under major duress.
They were just to early in their time. Now all you have to do is shoot
It’s really hard for a guard to stay in the NBA right now, even some smaller potential 2 way guards, and especially someone that needs the ball in his hands. If you’re around the right pieces, with length and versatility, and strong defenders, and more shooting, then ya, you can fit, but there are a lot of guards not in the NBA right now that could be, so I think he isn’t entirely correct about his assessment
Jimmer was drafted and just could get the right setup. The kings had some major changes with staff and a bunch of selfish players.
Timing is important but so is fit. Some teams could use a shooter but fit and timing ⏱
He found a way to play the game overseas. Got paid and is going for an Olympic medal good for him!